This letter was submitted to City Desk ABQ by Sandra Ortsman, Albuquerque. She is a community planner and community member who cares deeply about immigrants rights, mom and small business owner who has lived in and loved Albuquerque since 2002. Have an opinion? Of course you do! Send it to pat@citydesk.org If there is anyone […]
Category: Politics & Elections
Posted inPolitics & Elections
KOAT debate excludes two mayoral candidates, sparks controversy
A televised mayoral debate next Wednesday will spotlight just four of six active candidates for mayor of Albuquerque, but Mayling Armijo is pushing to be included, arguing voters deserve to hear from all six contenders — including the race’s only woman — while more than a third of voters remain undecided. The Oct. 15 debate […]
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How and where to vote in the city election in 2025
Every Albuquerque voter has a reason to vote in 2025. The only citywide elected office, mayor, is on the ballot along with five of nine city councilors and a long list of local bond questions for the city, school districts, and some local governments. Other local communities including Los Ranchos and Tijeras also have local […]
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“A tunnel to Rio Rancho” or more bridges? Mayoral candidates pitch plans for Westside traffic woes
Should Albuquerque tunnel under the Rio Grande or build new bridges across it? Mayoral hopefuls Eddie Varela and Darren White pitched big ideas to ease Westside traffic during a recent candidate forum hosted by business leaders. The exchange came at a mayoral forum Tuesday, Sept. 30, hosted by business leaders with the National Association of […]
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City will pay to air Keller speech on TV, again
Editor’s note: This story was updated on Friday afternoon with comments and clarification on the timeline for the ad purchases provided by a spokesperson Friday after the original story was published. The city had not responded to our questions on the day before publication. The City of Albuquerque is paying to rebroadcast Mayor Tim Keller’s […]
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Greg Cunningham enters race for Congress in CD2, covering southern NM and ABQ’s Westside
A Republican former two-time New Mexico legislative candidate will seek his party’s nomination to challenge U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-NM-02) in next year’s midterm election. New Mexico Political Report first reported in September that Greg Cunningham, a 59-year-old Marine Corps veteran and former Albuquerque Police detective, was preparing to enter the race. He made it […]
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New Mexico’s Congressional leaders on the shutdown: Speaker “doesn’t give a f*ck about working people” and more
The federal government officially shutdown at 12:01 Eastern time on Wednesday, leaving hundreds of thousands of federal workers without a paycheck and closing or delaying many essential federal services. Both sides blamed each other. Republicans claimed Democrats refused to vote on a clean extension of funding for a few more weeks while Democrats stood their […]
Posted inCourts, Justice & Safety
Albuquerque mayoral candidate charged for inappropriate touching of former campaign staffer
An Albuquerque police officer investigating an incident between mayoral candidate Daniel Chavez and his former staffer found probable cause to charge him with battery, according to court documents filed in Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court and obtained by City Desk ABQ. The criminal complaint, filed in July, alleges that Daniel Chavez inappropriately touched a person without […]
Posted inPolitics & Elections
Bregman would back ban on local immigrant detention centers, limit arrests of immigrants without other crimes
New Mexico Democratic candidate for governor Sam Bregman expressed opposition Friday to using state and local resources to enforce federal immigration law, unless it involves a criminal suspect who represents a serious threat to public safety. Bregman, who is also the Bernalillo County district attorney, told New Mexico Political Report in a phone interview on […]
Posted inPolitics & Elections
Vasquez launches 2026 re-election campaign, emphasizes bipartisan record
U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez announced his 2026 re-election bid over the weekend, touring his sprawling southern New Mexico and Westside Albuquerque district with campaign stops in Albuquerque’s West Side, Los Lunas, Truth or Consequences and Mesilla. The second-term Democrat, who represents New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District, positioned himself as a bipartisan problem-solver focused on lowering […]